Asia Bibi has not left Pakistan: FO

The Foreign Office Thursday rejected reports that a Christian woman who was acquitted by the Supreme Court last week in a blasphemy case has left the country.

“Asia Bibi is in Pakistan,” Foreign Office Spokesman Dr Faisal said during a weekly press briefing. “There is no truth in reports that Asia Bibi has left the country. She is at a safe location in Pakistan,” he added. “Media should confirm before airing such reports,” he asserted.

“Asia Bibi is now a free citizen and can go wherever she wishes to after the SC verdict. No ban can be placed on the movement of a free citizen,” the spokesman said. “A review petition against her acquittal has been filed in the court and the Ministry of Interior can inform regarding whether she can be legally barred from leaving the country,” he added.

The FO statement came in response to reports that Bibi had left the country following her release from a prison in Multan Wednesday night. Shortly after FO’s clarification, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry slammed some media organisations for running ‘fake news’ regarding Bibi leaving the country. “It has become a norm to publish fake news for sake of headlines, #AsiaBibi case is sensitive issue it was extremely irresponsible to publish news of her leaving the country without confirmation, I strongly urge section of media to act responsible,” he tweeted.

Last night, Bibi’s lawyer Saif-ul-Mulook said, “She has been freed. I have been told that she is on a plane but nobody knows where she will land.”

“Asia Bibi has left the prison and has been transferred to a safe place!” tweeted Antonio Tajani, president of the European Parliament.

Earlier, a civil aviation official in Multan said a small plane arrived in the city with ‘a few foreigners and some Pakistanis’ on board to fetch Bibi. According to another civil aviation official, the aircraft that collected Bibi from jail would have been required to land in Islamabad but it was unclear if she may have had a connecting flight.

Three security officials said early Thursday that Bibi was released from the Multan prison. She was flown to the airport near Islamabad but was in protective custody because of threats to her life, they said, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Following Bibi’s release, the TLP vowed to return to the streets if she was allowed to leave the country. “If the promise is broken and she is sent abroad, then Allah willing, a movement will start and it will be decisive,” said TLP leader Afzal Qadri, after an earlier message from the group accused the government of reneging on the agreement.